


The Spark That Lights the Fire

by CaffeinatedJediRey



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Fandom
Genre: 50th Hunger Games, Alcoholism, F/M, Family deaths, Implied Forced Marriage, Lovers To Enemies, Other, PTSD and trauma, Political conspiracy, Pres Snow is fucked up and got the ending he deserved, Some sexist language and insults, rebellion plotting, tags to be added with updates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:54:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25966957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeinatedJediRey/pseuds/CaffeinatedJediRey
Summary: When did the second rebellion of Panem start exactly?  Forty years after her victory, Lucy Snow, First Lady of Panem, returns to District 12 to mentor the four tributes for the second Quarter Quell.  There’s nothing she can do to change the way things are in Panem, or is there?
Relationships: Lucy Gray Baird/Coriolanus Snow
Comments: 22
Kudos: 43





	1. Returns

**_Chapter One: Returns_**

Her head resting on her right hand, Lucy Gray watched as the last set of walls within District 8 faded into a blur of wild trees and the ground rose higher and higher into the eastern mountains of Panem. The train rocked increasingly with each rise in elevation. 

Her chest grew tighter with anticipation as the train inched closer to District 12. Forty-seven years since she was truly free with the Covey, traveling without restrictions. Forty years since the reaping, which upended her entire life. Close to thirty years since she was captured in the wilds around here and brought to the Capitol for good. Yet, she always felt the same mix of dread and longing each time she returned to “her” former district for the reaping. 

Dread at the prospect of meeting this year’s tributes, who were effectively sent straight to their deaths. She was the only victor that District 12 could claim, and the task of mentoring its tributes fell solely on her every single year. She could advise all she wanted, but the tributes were usually underfed, lacking in survival skills, or both. And on the rare occasion that they were reasonably healthy and skillful, she was sure the game makers deliberately sabotaged the games to lower the odds of Twelve’s tributes winning. As if it was punishment for how she won her own games, as well as a precaution to avoid accusations of rigging by the Snows. 

On top of that, she barely felt any strong connection with the district as a whole. She only spent seven years solidly within its borders, and the rest of her life was spent in the wilds or the Capitol. If anything, she fit in more with the Capitol, not belonging to any particular district. After all, she was the First Lady of Panem and a singer, sheltered from the daily realities and struggles of Twelve’s inhabitants. She didn’t blame its citizens for distrusting her, if not outright hating her. 

At the same time, intense longing gripped her senses and fought against the dread. The main reason was simple enough: she missed her Covey family. They shared the struggles of surviving in eastern Panem during and after the war. They were her last ties to her parents. Performing alone in the Capitol would never be the same as creating music with her family. She also ached over the fact that she could not go through life side-by-side with them. Their lives had diverged with the 10th Games, plain and simple. 

The whir of a sliding door broke her train of thought and caught her attention. A petite woman with intricate raven braids and wearing a bright coral dress walked through and greeted Lucy. It was Junia Steelwater, the current escort for District 12. 

“Mrs. Snow, we’ll be arriving at Twelve in fifteen minutes. I’ve notified the necessary officials, and Mayor Gibbs and his wife are ready to meet you at the destination,” Junia announced in her overly formal manner of speech. 

Right. Lucy Gray had to meet with the mayor, make a short address to the peacekeepers at the base, and listen to their updates before she could go rest at her place. A mansion within the Victor’s Village that was only occupied for one day in a normal year. 

Junia’s voice broke the silence, “Mrs. Snow?” 

Lucy Gray quickly replied, “Sounds good. Did you call in the orders from Mellark's bakery?"

"Yes, m'am," Junia nodded, still maintaining her stiff persona. 

The older woman gave a small smile and replied, “Thank you, Junia. I hope you remembered to order something for yourself too.” 

After additional small talk, the escort left the car, and Lucy Gray quickly checked her compact to make sure her makeup was still in place. It was the same silver compact she carried during her own game, and it was “returned” to her after her engagement. Her feelings towards it were mixed, as it reminded her of both her complicated love and resentment for Coryo. She carried it with her at all times, anyway. She tucked in a few black curls that fell out from her updo during the train ride and snapped the compact shut. 

She took a shot of whiskey before heading out of her car. Things like this were always a little more manageable with a buzz. Really, she needed two shots, but she couldn’t go around in public visibly drunk without causing scandal. Everything had to be presented in a certain way. Just because she wasn’t on the stage didn’t mean she could stop performing. Once the train stopped and the doors opened, she stepped onto the platform with a broad smile, greeting Mayor Gibbs and his family with nothing but graciousness.

Several hours later, as the afternoon winded down, Lucy Gray found herself alone with her own thoughts once again when the Peacekeepers set the alarm on for the house. The ritual was the same every time she was at the house, ever since she tried to run away the first time she stayed there. 

She recalled the incident as she unpacked the parcel containing her dinner. It was two days before the 21st reaping, almost a year since the Capitol’s forces found her. She had been living with her fiancé, the young president of Panem, in the Capitol, and the wedding was supposed to take place three months from reaping day. 

On her first night here, she resolved to use the chance to finally make it all the way to the elusive District 13. Before she left Panem for good, she needed to visit her family for one last goodbye. So after spending an entire night with the Covey, she took shelter in the lakeside cabin for a quick nap before continuing her escape. 

Unfortunately, the Peacekeeper on duty in the Victor’s Village quickly noticed that morning she was missing. With the aid of scent hounds and the majority of the Peacekeepers on base searching for her, they found her in the woods the same day. The incident was kept private from all except her fiancé, who threatened to have the entire Covey killed if she ever tried to run away again. 

Now, she was in the kitchen pouring herself a large glass of wine to accompany her meal. She hated how empty the house felt, and it also struck her as wasteful that it was only used once a year. Technically, she was allowed to have visitors in her house. But, visitors meant guards being present, and she didn’t want everything discussed getting passed on to others. 

She once tried to arrange for the Covey to live in “her” house, but it was shot down far too quickly. The Peacekeeper commander said it would cause resentment and riots if they even let one concession for non-victors to live in one of the houses. Coryo agreed, adding that it would be seen as favoritism, and he couldn’t have their reputation on the line in the district or the Capitol. What good was her position if she couldn’t use it to help her own family? 

Just before Lucy Gray began eating her dinner, she heard a familiar tune coming from the trees outside, through the screen of an opened window. It was the first line of _My Darling Clementine._ She whistled out the second line of the song and waited. The mockingjays repeated her tune. More silence. Then the birds sang unmistakable notes of the third line. 

She walked over to the patio door and ran her fingers along the frame, checking to make sure the nick in the alarm trigger was still there. It was still undiscovered, thankfully; she made it by “accident” decades ago on the frame when she knew the alarm was off for the day. This was her way of ensuring normal, unsupervised visits. Plus, she was near her communication devices in case anyone tried to contact her. 

She grabbed the paper bag with the boxed-up popcorn balls and one of the boxes with pastries before heading to the patio. As soon as she stepped onto the patio, she whistled the fourth verse, to let her cousin know she could come up to the house now. 

A slender woman with light eyes and dark hair, tied up in a braided bun, soon emerged from the woods at the edge of the backyard. Wrinkles were starting to line her eyes, but her smile was as youthful as ever when she waved and ran up to the patio.

“Lucy Gray! I missed you,” Maude Ivory exclaimed as she grabbed her cousin into a tight hug. 

The older woman returned the hug and replied, "Me too, Maude Ivory. I always worry that one day you won’t show up here anymore.”

The younger cousin chuckled and shrugged. “Well, still alive and haven’t kicked the bucket yet.”

Lucy Gray shook her head and suppressed a smile as she handed Maude Ivory the treats. “Don’t joke about that, please. Take a seat, I got you the usual.” 

“Ah, thank you! This is the only good part about the reaping. I get to see you and get some treats for a change,” Maude Ivory replied, examining the contents of the bag and box. 

Lucy Gray was contented at seeing her cousin still light up with the same joy at receiving the treats. All the other Covey members were dead at this point. Maude Ivory’s husband, Kirk Everdeen, had died from black lung a couple of years ago. Her other two children died in childhood. It was just her and her son, Sejanus Everdeen, in the district now. Maude Ivory was tougher than her, to be unbroken by life like she was. "How did you and Jan hold up this past year?" 

"Okay. My cough's been getting worse. I'm just thankful I don't have to worry about Jan getting reaped this year,” her cousin answered in a more subdued tone than her greeting.

“I bet,” Lucy Gray concurred. 

Maude Ivory quickly changed the topic as she went through an envelope contained within the bag. She pulled out half of the currency bills and handed them to Lucy Gray. “Jan’s started working in the mines, so that's been some extra income. You won’t have to cover for both of us as much.”

Lucy Gray pushed her cousin’s hand back gently. “Take the whole thing, please. You’ll need that for the cough medication.”

Maude Ivory put the money back in the envelope while trying to reassure her cousin. "I'll be all right. It's nothing the healers here can't treat. Nearly everyone here gets it sooner or later. It costs the same for all of us. No need to draw extra attention or cause suspicion. I’ll hang on to it just in case, thank you.”

“Thank _you_ ,” Lucy Gray answered.

Maude Ivory took a popcorn ball out of the bag and split it in half, presumably saving the other half for her son. She asked, “Enough about me. So how are you and your children doing?" 

“Me? Same old, same old,” Lucy Gray replied, taking the usual care to not sound like a spoiled Capitol citizen, "My kids are both doing well. Xanthos is still working for the treasury. Valentina’s starting her third year at the university. She's smart but slacked off a bit last semester. No use scolding her when her father will make sure she graduates and gets the job she wants.”

“Must be nice not having to worry about anything in life,” Maude Ivory remarked with a laugh. 

Lucy Gray chuckled ruefully and sighed, “I wish I could bring you and Jan to the Capitol with me. You'd both appreciate it more than my kids do." 

Maude Ivory reached out to pat Lucy Gray’s hand, "I'm perfectly fine here, and Jan has his friends. Besides, you forget, Jan and his generation don’t know that my ghost cousin Lucy Gray Baird is the same person as Twelve’s sole victor, Lucy Snow. He doesn’t know he has Capitol relatives, and it’s safer that way. So, you ready to meet the tributes for the games this year?" 

Lucy Gray groaned and rubbed her forehead, “Never. There’s four of them this year. As if the games weren’t bad enough already. These fucked up creators thought of everything. I’m sure for the next quarter quell it’ll be the victors or their children.”

“Don’t even say it. Maybe the Capitol will wake up and end the games,” Maude Ivory suggested.

Lucy Gray grumbled, “You make that wish every year, and it’s never going to happen. Not as long as my husband is president, I can tell you that. What can we even do anyway?”

Maude Ivory nodded before answering, “I know, you can't make him change his mind. But... People are already whispering and talking. The problem is the lack of communication between districts…” 

Lucy Gray interrupted her cousin sharply, “Maude Ivory! Everything gets intercepted. Nothing escapes the Capitol’s notice.”

“No one’s figured out you meet me here every year before the reaping,” Maude Ivory said in defense.

“That’s just luck. It’s only a matter of time before someone figures it out or has me bugged or something,” Lucy Gray replied.

“Not everything is bugged all the time like the presidential mansion. There are ways to spread information without attracting extra attention. It just has to get between districts somehow,” Maude Ivory countered.

“Sure, get the peacekeepers to do it, that’ll work great,” Lucy Gray replied sarcastically.

Maude Ivory took a deep breath before explaining, “That’s not what I mean. The victors all meet up at least once a year, don’t they? And do they all keep in touch? Haven’t you told me that you’re the only victor who lives in the Capitol most of the year?”

“If you’re saying what I think you’re saying… I— Absolutely not! I can’t,” Lucy Gray asserted firmly.

Maude Ivory continued to press her cousin, “Think about it, Lucy Gray. We already have our own code with the songs.”

Lucy Gray shook her head and went silent as her cousin finished eating her portion of the popcorn ball. Finally, she spoke up, “The sunset’s starting. You should head back before it gets too dark.”

“Hm, you’re right, it’s time to end our yearly visit. I didn’t mean to get you all worked up, dear. It’s just something to think about, that’s all. Thanks again for everything,” Maude Ivory said, starting to gather up her gifts. 

“You’re more than welcome. I hope you and Jan enjoy the treats and stay as healthy as you can. See you next year,” Lucy Gray replied as she stood up from her chair and offered her younger cousin a hug.

Maude Ivory accepted the hug before she spoke, "Maybe we'll see each other again sooner this year. You never know. Take care of yourself, okay?”

Lucy Gray nodded as Maude Ivory pulled away from the hug. She remained standing on the patio until her cousin disappeared into the woods. As happy as she was to see Maude Ivory alive and well, her cousin truly had no idea just what the Capitol was capable of doing. Then again, who knew what the year had in store for any of them? 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is my first Hunger Games fic! I’d like to thank RosaLeoa for being willing to look over it as a beta!
> 
> I just couldn’t stop thinking about all the “what ifs” after finishing Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and I hope y’all will enjoy this!
> 
> I’m always open to comments, questions, and constructive criticism (nicely, please!)!


	2. Reaping Day

**_Chapter Two: Reaping Day_ **

The nightmares returned like clockwork that night. To be honest, nightmares weren’t uncommon for Lucy Gray, but she always had one every night during the month of the Hunger Games. It was always the same dream the night before the reaping, with some variations on who got reaped. 

_She woke up in her house in the Victor’s Village, a version that was more lived-in, colorful, and cozy. Instead of a blonde man at her side in the presidential mansion, it was a woman with brown skin, dusted with freckles, who slept next to her. Her last girlfriend, Rachelle, hadn’t been killed after all and lived with her, even thirty years later._

_After waking up her partner with some caresses, they went downstairs to prepare breakfast and coffee. Lucy Gray saw her daughter sitting at the table. Same daughter meant the same father. Instead of straightened hair dyed a light color, her hair was naturally dark and curly._

_Tina half-heartedly greeted her mothers, prompting Lucy Gray to ask with concern, “Sweetie, what’s the matter?”_

_“I couldn’t sleep. I just have a feeling they’re going to draw my name this year. Xanthos never got reaped,” Tina replied, her voice growing more anxious as she spoke._

_Lucy Gray began to open her mouth to reassure her but hesitated._

_Tina quickly spoke, “Don’t even say that Father won’t allow it. You know Livia would make me go through with the game if my name got called. She’s always been a bitch.”_

_“Valentina! You don’t call people that!” Rachelle exclaimed before covering a yawn._

_Tina shouted angrily, “You know I’m right! Livia hates that she doesn’t have her own kids and that Father has kids from a mistress! I’ll say it again, Livia is a bitch and probably already fixed it!”_

_Her daughter’s anger and anxiety were perfectly understandable, but it wouldn’t solve anything. “Don’t yell at us,” Lucy Gray asserted, “Since we don’t know if you will get reaped today, let’s eat our breakfast in peace, please? Your cousins are coming over, too.”_

_The rest of the morning was a blur between Tina storming out of the kitchen and the reaping. Time stood still as she waited for Junia, the new escort for 12, to call out the female tribute._

_“Valentina Baird Snow.” Lucy Gray’s heart raced in panic as she heard the name. Her eyes caught her daughter’s blue eyes, which were full of fear._

Lucy Gray jolted awake before the dream could continue. Gasping, she looked around her empty room and slowly reoriented herself to her current surroundings. The sky was only just starting to glow with daybreak. She’d never get back to sleep now. The dream wasn’t real, but the fear never went away. Every kid that got reaped could easily be her own child or niece or nephew, and she had no power to save any of them. 

~~~~~

Hours later, after several stiff drinks to numb her emotions along with a couple of snacks, Lucy Gray observed the crowd while Mayor Gibbs went through the customary greetings. While the video recounting the formation of the Hunger Games played, she noticed the people of 12 seemed more restless and somber than usual, doubtless due to the higher number of tributes this year. 

Junia’s voice calling out “Ladies first!” grabbed Lucy Gray’s attention and brought back vivid memories of her most recent nightmare and her own reaping. She did her best to maintain her composure while Junia drew out the first name, tamping down the urge to run into the Justice Hall. 

In her formal manner of speech, Junia announced the first tribute, “Bethany Parrish.” Lucy Gray soon spotted a frail girl in a green gingham dress with short black hair making her way from the crowd. Keeping her head down, Bethany quietly took her place next to Junia. Even with her silence, Bethany’s grief was visible through the tears streaming down her face. 

Junia wasted no time in announcing the second girl tribute, “Maysilee Donner.” The crowd jostled for a little while before making space for three blonde girls hugging each other tightly. They were in their late teens judging from their heights and possibly merchant daughters given their slightly healthier appearances. A Peacekeeper made their way to the group, causing one girl to finally break free and walk towards the stage. Lucy Gray noticed that two of the girls were identical; she hadn’t seen a twin get reaped in this district before today. 

Junia’s face betrayed slight concern when she glanced at the two tributes next to her. It was a brief flash of emotion, though, as she soon cleared her throat, announcing, “Time to select the boys now, and the first boy tribute is… Shawn Thomson.” A lanky blond boy soon stepped forward from the crowd, wasting no time in heading to the stage. He clearly just wanted this reaping done and over with, too. 

“Always good to see some enthusiasm!” Junia commented, clearly oblivious to the fact that everyone else just wanted to leave already, “Last but not least, the second boy tribute is… Haymitch Abernathy.” This time, it was a boy with curly black hair and dark gray eyes that walked away from the crowd, but not before he took a pause to give a visibly upset boy a quick hug. Perhaps a brother or cousin? 

Once Haymitch took his place by Shawn, Junia cheerfully exclaimed, “Let’s give a round of applause for the brave tributes of Twelve! May the odds be ever in their favor!” 

All right, that was enough, Lucy Gray decided. Without any fuss or fanfare, she left the stage and headed directly to the car that would take her to the train. She did her duty by showing up, and no one needed her now. She saw her cousin last night. Now, she at least had the reassurance that none of her cousins’ children got reaped. The tributes got an hour to say their goodbyes, and the train would leave after that. 

As soon as she reached her cabin, she collapsed on her bed and cried into her pillow, finally releasing all her bottled-up emotions from the day. She was so overwhelmed that she couldn’t begin to describe how this all made her feel. That this was unfair was too simple of a thought. She was hopeless where she once had hope. She was full of fury at the system with nowhere to release it, as well as full of grief for the lives lost and to be lost. 

~~~~

The buzz of her cabin’s doorbell woke up Lucy Gray some time later. She glanced at her clock and frowned when she noticed three hours had passed. She pressed a button on the clock and spoke, “Hello?”

“Good evening, Mrs. Snow.” It was Junia, checking in on her. At least this escort let her nap for more than an hour, unlike the previous ones. “The kitchen staff saved a plate for you. Did you still want your dinner?” 

“Yes, please. I’ll be out there in a bit. Thanks, Junia.” With that, Lucy Gray wasted no time in freshening up and heading to the dining cabin. 

As she headed to the table with a covered dish, she noticed that all four tributes were wrapping up their meals. Junia was sitting at a table nearby and reading a book. Before sitting down to eat her own meal, Lucy Gray exchanged greetings with the tributes and listened to them reintroduce themselves.

“Save some room for dessert. I got y’all some pastries from Mellark’s. A little bit of everything,” the First Lady said, pointing to a still-unopened box on a table next to the water and utensils. Three of the tributes thanked her as they headed to the table and filled their plates once again, this time with sweets. 

Normally, the tributes didn’t even bother to stick around after that, but tonight was an exception. Maysilee was very chatty and friendly. A little annoying when Lucy Gray really wasn’t in the mood to talk with kids going to their certain deaths. But, Maysilee’s friendliness would be an asset to her during the interviews. How much that’d help her in the games, it was hard to say right now. 

Lucy Gray half-listened to the tributes as she watched the replay of the reapings. Mags’s youngest and only daughter got reaped, as did the son of a famous District 2 victor, Sergius. Two victors’ children. That usually got spaced out. Her heart twisted as she noted that the camera made sure to focus on each of the parents in those two cases. The rest of the reapings were less personal, but no less painful. Finally the replay arrived at 12’s reaping, with an unfortunate shot of her slightly swaying and staring out over the crowd. She winced at seeing herself in that state — maybe just two drinks beforehand instead of three, next time.

“May the odds be in our favor with our drunk mentor that doesn’t give a shit about our district!” Shawn shouted, bringing Lucy Gray’s focus back to the tributes. 

Maysilee rolled her eyes at the remark. Haymitch frowned at Shawn and began to open his mouth, but Maysilee spoke up first. “Miss Lucy? How come we don’t ever hear about the games you won?” 

“Mamaw says she’s a slut and that’s how she won,” Shawn said before Lucy Gray could respond, loud enough for perhaps the entire train to hear him. Bethany smacked him on the arm before walking away to get another pastry.

“Hush your mouth!” Maysilee exclaimed. 

Haymitch added, “Don’t be an asshole, Shawn.”

“It was an unusual game, Maysilee.” The older woman answered simply, and she noticed Bethany returning to her seat with a small custard-filled torte, a _pastiche._ She wasn’t the only one to notice.

“How many of these have you had already, Beth?” Haymitch asked with wide eyes. Beth sheepishly grinned as she held up two fingers. 

The simple action reminded Lucy Gray of her own daughter at that age. Every single year, the tributes always reminded her in one way or another of one of her loved ones. It was time to go back to her room. 

As the First Lady quickly wrapped up what was left of her plate, Shawn spoke up once again, “Y’all know I’m right. If it wasn’t true, she’d have told us what really happened.”

“Or maybe she doesn’t wanna deal with you,” Haymitch said, prompting the girl tributes to snicker in response. 

Lucy Gray remained silent as she unlocked the liquor cabinet and selected another bottle of whiskey to take to her own room. Shawn was trying to get a rise out of her, and it wouldn’t work. For all she knew, Shawn’s grandmother could have been a friend of the former Mayor Lipp or his wife. It was always the merchant kids who made those specific remarks. The former victor was actually more surprised that the other kids were pushing back, which rarely happened. 

Shawn must have made another crude comment because the last thing Lucy Gray heard as she left the cabin was Junia shouting loudly, “Stop it, Shawn! That’s a ridiculous lie!”

~~~~

Two hours to the Capitol, the conductor announced over the speaker. Picking at her croissant, Lucy Gray absentmindedly watched the mountains of District 2 fly past the window. She had already been awake for a few hours, as she found it difficult to sleep on this leg of the trip. Even her comfortable quarters couldn’t erase the memory of her first trip to the Capitol in a poorly ventilated, overcrowded cabin. 

Thankfully, Junia arrived into the dining cabin just then, preventing Lucy Gray from getting lost in her memories again. The escort complained after greeting the older woman. “Please do not leave me alone like that ever again.”

Lucy Gray asked, “What happened after I left?”

Junia replied, “You know what Haymitch called me and now everyone else is calling me that?”

“Hm?”

“Junebug! It’s some ugly brown beetle… I’ve never been so offended!”

Lucy Gray chuckled, “It’s not an insult about your appearance. Junebug is cute, trust me.”

Junia sighed in resignation. “Fine. But, my parents didn’t raise me to speak the way that other tribute did to you last night.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard that kind of stuff about me, and at least it only came from one of the kids this time.” 

“That doesn’t make this kind of disrespect okay,” Junia said, looking genuinely concerned. 

Lucy Gray stared at her plate in silence for a second before looking back at Junia, calmly responding to her. “You don’t know what any of them have gone through in their lives… I appreciate your concerns, but can I finish my breakfast? Don’t you need to eat, too?”

~~~~~

The rest of the day went by quickly for the former victor of 12; before she knew it, she found herself after the annual parade in the penthouse that housed 12’s tributes. The best apartment was reserved for her own district, and this was actually one of her own requests when the building was turned into the training center. She was just simply there give the tributes some encouragement after yet another production where everyone wore ridiculous costumes, before she went back to her home for the night. 

“Aren’t you going to eat with us?” Maysilee asked before prodding further, “Please.”

Junia also looked pleadingly at Lucy Gray, clearly not wanting to be left alone in charge of four adolescents yet again. Lucy Gray usually went straight home soon after the tribute parade. Her husband didn’t. He stayed out late making sure everything was in order for the week. Her son didn’t live at home anymore, and her daughter was probably at some afterparty. No one would miss her presence this evening. “Sure, I can stay for a couple more hours. I just need to make a call.” 

Once everyone got their plates and began eating, Lucy Gray noticed that the tributes were slightly quieter than last night. The reality of the situation was probably sinking in even more by now. She decided to start the conversation tonight by asking everyone their ages. 

“I’m 17 and the oldest. Then Haymitch is the second oldest, then either Shawn or Bethany is the youngest,” Maysilee replied.

“Maysilee? I got a question for you. It doesn't make sense why you got drawn, with your father running the candy shop,” Shawn said, without any hint of malice. 

Without hesitating and somewhat bitterly, Maysilee answered, “My name was in there more than twenty times this year. Sure, my father makes some money, but he gambles. Ran out a couple times and had to sign me and my sis up for tesserae to settle some debts.”

“Yeesh,” Shawn replied. “Well, I’m 14. How about Beth?”

Beth remained silent and focused on eating her food, so Haymitch answered Shawn. “Beth is just 12, but her name was in there a bunch. Oldest girl in her family. Grandparents, her parents, siblings, and cousins, all in one house.”

“You know her family?” Lucy Gray asked quickly, hoping to move the conversation away from anything that might make the tributes more upset. 

Haymitch nodded. “They live next door to my girlfriend.” 

“ _You_ have a girlfriend?” Maysilee commented teasingly, a smile slowly returning to her face. 

Haymitch grinned in response. “I do; she’s the prettiest in the whole district.”

“Who cares?” Shawn piped up before Maysilee could reply. 

“No one asked you,” Haymitch snapped.

“Why does it matter? We’re all going to die, anyway,” Shawn emphasized, causing Beth to burst out in tears. 

Shawn left the room without finishing his dinner and headed to his room, where he slammed the door shut. Junia and Lucy Gray tried to get Shawn to respond, with no success. They decided to just leave him alone and asked an avox to check in on him periodically. 

"I know I'm dead. No one else from 12 ever wins," Beth wailed. That was the first time Lucy Gray heard a single word out of the girl's mouth since the reaping, catching her fading attention.

"That doesn't mean you can give up now," Maysilee tried to comment reassuringly. 

"Our odds suck, Maysilee. There's no way around that. It would be nice if Miss Lucy here actually tried to mentor us like she thought we could make it, then maybe one of us would have a chance at winning," Haymitch said, looking squarely at his mentor with that final line. 

Lucy Gray froze on the spot, taken aback and stung by the tribute’s words. She felt even guiltier than normal, being confronted in this way. Wasn’t it her who had once told her own mentor she would like him to believe she had a shot at victory? And, yet, she had given up any sort of hope for any of her own tributes decades ago. They deserved better. 

"Miss Lucy? What's wrong?" Maysilee asked, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Lucy Gray ran her hands over her face before finally composing herself and simply replying honestly. "I don't want to make a promise I can't keep. There are many reasons why 12 hasn’t had a victor after my games.”

"We know. Doesn't mean you can't share some strategies," Haymitch emphasized. 

"I'm not sure where to start, to be honest with y'all," Lucy Gray admitted after some hesitation. 

“Why don't you tell us how you won your games, Miss Lucy? I don’t believe what Shawn says about you,” Maysilee replied.

“It’s not important, because I didn’t play by the rules,” Lucy Gray explained, “And my mentor also broke the rules to help me.”

“Broke the rules, how? Who was your mentor?” Haymitch asked.

The former victor finished off her glass of wine before finally speaking up once again. “I’ll explain if y’all promise that what I say here doesn’t ever leave this room.” 

When Maysilee, Haymitch, Beth, and even Junia all nodded in assent, Lucy Gray recounted the events surrounding the 10th Games. At the end, everyone had amazed and shocked expressions. None of them ever knew any of this. They’d be even more surprised to learn of the future president’s actions while serving as a peacekeeper. Almost everyone thought their relationship was perfect and he had nothing to do with his friend’s death. Almost. 

Maysilee was the first to compose herself and speak. “Poison. That’s a good strategy…”

“Not as good as your Capitol boyfriend tricking the mutts behind the scenes!” Haymitch said, not missing a beat. 

Surprisingly, Junia laughed at his remark. Well, good, the escort was more amused than scandalized. Beth stayed as quiet as usual, but she was calmer to the point where she was dozing off, ready for bed. 

“Seriously. Remember a few years back? The guy from District 4 won against another career because he knew which fishes were poisonous,” Maysilee replied.

“True, but the more Capitol support you have, the better. That guy wouldn’t have survived without sponsor gifts,” Haymitch added.

Lucy Gray spoke before the two tributes could keep debating. “Just stay alive. Do what it takes. Keep that in mind.”

As she headed to her house in her chauffeured car, she found herself thinking that maybe her tributes actually had a chance this year. For the first time in perhaps decades, she sensed the return of some hope within herself. She survived so much for a reason after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to RosaLeoa for her insights and comments as a beta reader! 
> 
> A quick note, I based pastiches on the Italian pastry pasticciotto. I’m kind of making Mellark’s a bakery that also has older Italian-American recipes.


End file.
